Mother abandons 15 months baby in a bush

A Circuit Court at Asamankese has bonded an unemployed woman who abandoned her 15 months' old baby-girl in the bush to be of good behaviour for 10 years or to serve 12 months imprisonment.

Chief Inspector Mariama Domeya, prosecuting, said Yevu was fond of complaining she was facing hardship because the father of her baby, one Kwasi Burger, had disowned her and she had no means of subsistence.

On Sunday, August 25, some inhabitants of the village noticed that Yevu's baby was not with her and questioned her about her whereabouts.

Yevu told them she had sent the baby to her grandmother in a nearby village but the "Good Samaritans" doubted it and so decided to contact the grandmother.

The baby was not with her grandmother in the village and whilst enquiries continued Yevu sneaked out of the village but was traced to Topease and sent back.

Chief Inspector Doneya said upon persistent questioning Yevu said a friend had killed the baby and the body had been deposited in the bush.

Chief Inspector Domenya said Yevu was then handed over to the police.

In the course of investigations, however, it came to light that Yevu's friend had no knowledge of the baby. The Prosecutor said on Tuesday, August 27, two days after the disappearance of the baby, Yevu led the police to the bush about two kilometres away to where the baby was.

The baby was found alive, naked and crying in the bush.

The weak and weary baby was sent to the Asamankese Government hospital where she was treated and discharged.

Pleading for mitigation, Yevu begged the court to deal leniently with her since it was hardship she faced that made her to do that.

Passing sentence, the Judge, Mr S.S. Appiah "said hardship is no excuse for you to have acted so foolishly and callously".